As we reach the halfway mark of the Under 17s UNE Harold Matthews Cup and Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup for the 2024 season, let’s look where clubs sit coming into the back end of the regular season.
UNE Harold Matthews Cup
The UNE Harold Matthews Cup season has been nothing short of historic, with a record 17 clubs competing for a finals spot and after five rounds only two points separate the top-five teams.
As we head into the last four rounds of the regular season, everyone’s focus really starts to zero-in on making it to the 2024 finals for that chance at winning the premiership.
The Western Suburbs Magpies are sitting at the top of the table on 10 points, having won all four games since their bye in round one. Their 36-12 Round Five win over the Canberra Raiders edged the Magpies two points clear into first spot.
Centre Heamasi Makasini will be one to watch heading into the final four rounds, seeing as he’s already scored four tries, and successfully kicked 12 conversions from 13 attempts in the last two rounds. He will be key as the Magpies push for a finals appearance after missing out in 2023.
Following closely behind the Magpies are reigning premiers the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs currently tied with the Parramatta Eels on nine points.
Just a try separates the two in for-and-against with the Bulldogs sitting ahead in second position.
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Sydney Roosters round out the top-five with the two teams sitting on eight points.
The Sharks have scored the most points across the competition with 139 however their Round Two defeat (34-20) to the Eels – their only loss to date - could prove costly
While the Roosters are coming off a Round Five bye, the tricolours will be focusing on ensuring they don’t fall out of the top-five over the next few weeks as they have Newcastle, the Sharks and Magpies lurking.
The Knights, Central Coast Roosters, Panthers, Sea Eagles, Warriors and Dragons are all close behind the Sharks and Roosters – all six teams sitting on six points.
With only four points separating 11 teams, the final four weeks are crucial.
Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup
In its inaugural season, the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup is shaping to be a fierce competition with each of the 13 teams putting their best foot forward to be 2024 premiers.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have started the season strongly being undefeated in all five games with a bye still to come in Round Eight.
The Bulldogs have scored 240 points in the opening half of the season - the most of any team with 118 of those coming in the last two rounds. Sitting on 10 competition points, the blue-and- white have conceded only 40 points and will be hoping their attack keeps firing in the back end of the season.
The Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels and Illawarra Steelers round out the top- five all sitting on eight points.
With only the points-differential as the difference between the four clubs, it’s easy to see how the final four weeks will be vital.
The Central Coast Roosters, Manly Sea Eagles and Penrith Panthers all sit just one win outside the top-five on six points.
Just four points separate the top-eight, meaning it will be a real scramble to see who survives to make it into the finals.
